Happy New Year

I thought I would share a few of my favorite photos from 2009. When I look back at some of these photos it is hard to imagine that I took all of these in 2009. It was a great year and I can only hope 2010 is as good.

Last year I made a few simple resolutions. I feel the same way about resolutions this year as I did last year. I don't really believe in them. I don't really like them. I get them and I am all for a fresh start with the new year, but I think resolutions and goals should be made all year round. Why wait until January 1st? However, I have had a lot of time to think over the holidays and reevaluate certain aspects of my life and I do want to make some changes this year. Since about October I have been completely consumed with my little side business. I spent pretty much every spare minute sewing. When I was finally able to take a break, I realized that I don't want to be bogged down by this any more. I am not ready to give it up, but I am trying to figure out a way to make it work better for me. I know I will not be nearly as busy now, but I still have several large orders to fill and it has me a bit stressed out. Bottom line is I need to start saying NO more often.

I am also changing around my work schedule so that I can be home for Harper when she gets off the school bus. I was only working half the day on Friday. The other half of the day I used to sew, run errands, or do whatever needed to be done. Since I have rearranged my schedule I am not going to have as much uninterrupted time to sew. I just feel deep down that this is the best thing to do for us right now so we are going to try it out. I am not sure where these changes will lead us, but I am sure it is going to be another great year.

Little Changes

Lately, I have been all about tweaking little things in my life to make every day life a little easier and hopefully greener in the process. I am mostly jotting these things down as a journal for me, but if someone else gains from it all the better. Here's a list of some of my little changes:

1. I have been making a bigger pot of coffee and drinking it for a couple of days. The second day it is not as fresh, but it still tastes good. I only drink one cup a day so I was making just a little bit each day.

2. I have been drinking my cup of coffee while still at home instead of lugging a big ol' cup with me to work. I would drink off that one cup until lunch time. As a result, I was hardly drinking any water.

3. I only wash my hair every other day. We only wash the kids hair every other night so why wouldn't it work for me too? I tried stretching it to every third day, but my hair feels too greasy. This allows me to take a shorter shower and I spend less time drying my hair.

4. We make yogurt about once a week. I use a double boiler so there is always water left over in the bottom pot. We also use ice water to cool the milk down before adding the yogurt starter. I save all of this water and water the plants with it.

5. After reading some of Siblings Without Rivalry, I started changing how I respond when the kids are fighting. I am still learning, but I can already see a difference. It is amazing (and pretty scary)how much of an impact my words and actions have on my children.

6. I have secretly vowed to myself that I am going to make presents or buy used toys for all the kid's (friends and cousins included) birthdays that we have coming up.

It really is amazing that such small changes can make a huge difference.

Getting Back to My Green Roots

Reading Tracey's post yesterday about having intentions rather than making resolutions really inspired me. I already posted some resolutions, but have had I will now call them intentions rolling around in my head. The first big thing that I would like to focus on is posting something "green" at least once a week. I feel like I accomplished so much last year and I want to continue to share my journey with you.

As a recap (mostly for myself) here's what we did to be greener last year:

1. Started using reusable grocery bags at the store.
2. Stopped buying bottled water.
3. Reduced the number of Ziploc bags we use.
4. Installed a low flow shower head.
5. Started turning the thermostat up or down during the day when we are not at home to save energy.
6. Used a rain barrel to water the plants this summer.
7. Grew an herb garden and planted two blueberry bushes.
8. Started making our own yogurt.
9. Started unplugging appliances (coffee maker, toaster, computer) when not in use.
10. Replaced our light bulbs with CFLs.
11. Took shorter showers.
12. Started eating more organic foods, milk, and mostly fresh fruits and vegetables.
13. Reduced the amount of new clothing items purchased.
14. Switched to safer and more environmentally friendly health and beauty products.
15. We no longer use paper towels or napkins. We use cloth instead.

I am sure there are things that I forgot, but it is a pretty good summary.

Here are some of my green intentions for 2009:
1. Bake my own bread.
2. Build a compost bin.
3. Grow a bigger garden.
4. Have one green post a week.
5. Continue building my Etsy business.
6. Focus on reducing and reusing.
7. Plug the TV, DVD player, Wii, etc into a power strip and turn it off when not in use.
8. Be more aware of where my food is coming from and try to eat more local food.

I am sure this list will grow, but that is what I have for now. And since I can't have a post without a few photos, here's a cute little owl I made last week. The front is made from felted sweaters and the back is a vintage sheet. I had to sneak the owl out of Harper's room because she decided that it was hers. The owl is now listed in the shop. Shhhh. Don't tell Harper.

Here's a wrist cuff I made too.

Does anyone else have any green intentions for the New Year?

Resolutions

I am not big on New Year's Resolutions. Last year was the first year in a long time that I actually made a few resolutions. I was pretty happy with the results. For one, it lead me to start this blog and meet all of you lovely folks out there in the blogosphere. The blogging kept me honest and accountable as well. It also was the reason I became so interested in photography. Isn't it crazy how one thing leads to another?

So many things change and happen over the course of a year. What will next year bring? Since today is New Year's day and all, should I make a resolution or two? Honestly, I have not put much thought into it, but there are a few things that I would like to accomplish in the New Year.

I definitely want to continue blogging. Even though it can be time consuming, it is a much needed outlet for me. I want to improve my photography skills and branch out from my comfort zone. I want to take time to enjoy my kids. Sometimes with work, housework, yard work and other chores everything seems like work and that's just no fun. I want to continue updating my Etsy Store, but I don't want it to take over my life. I have really enjoyed this as an outlet as well, but there are too many other things that have to come first. Lastly, I want to continue to be as "green" as possible and increase my awareness of the environment as well as my impact on it.

Call them goals. Call them resolutions. Call them wishes for the New Year. Whatever they are, I can't wait to see where they take me.

Here some photos from our New Year's Eve hide and seek game. A New Year's Eve party is not complete without a little game of hide and seek.

Hmmm....where are those kids? I don't see them anywhere.

Oh there they are.
Happy New Year everyone!!!

More Green Goals

Since I promised more green goals to my loyal and dedicated readers, I thought I should actually follow through on that promise. I have been brainstorming on what goals I want to accomplish next. This is what I have so far:

1. Unsubscribe to all those e-mails I get from stores tempting me to take advantage of their great sale. I have been deleting them, but for some odd reason have not wanted to unsubscribe. Maybe I am afraid I will miss out on the best sale ever. No more. I don't need to know.

2. Start shopping consignment and thrift stores for the kids fall wardrobe. I spend and buy way too many clothes for the kids, especially my little girl. (Girls clothes are so cute.) They ruin, stain, or outgrow them SO fast. What's the point? I am not sure how this will go, but I would like to only purchase each of them a couple of brand new things for next fall/winter. The rest will be used.

3. No more new books. I love to read books. I love to look at books. I love to buy books. I love just thinking about books. You get the idea, right? If I read every book in my possession that I have not read, it would probably take me a couple of years to finish. So I am officially on a book buying strike. I will get my fix from the library or maybe even read the ones I already have. Well, that's a novel idea. Get it. Novel idea. Ok. You get it.

4. Complete one sewing project using recycled materials. I have an idea for an apron using an old skirt, but my ideas always seem better in theory. Plus, will I really wear an apron? Maybe if it is cute enough. Looking all domestic might eliminate the dinner making dread. A girl can dream.

5. Stay away from Target. Seriously. I could probably find an excuse to go there every day. What is it about that store? I buy way too much junk and spend way too much money there.

These goals all revolve around consuming or buying less stuff. I know this is one of my biggest challenges so I am dedicating myself to it this month or next month. Whatever. It takes 21 days to break a habit, right ? So do you think Photoshop, a lens for my camera, or a Kindle would count? See I told you it would be tough. Wish me luck.........

10 Most Challenging Things Going Green

Green & Natural Mom of Little Green Secrets tagged me. She asked me to share 10 ways I am still challenged to be green and also what I have accomplished on my journey. Here they are in no particular order.

1. WATER
We conserve water as much as possible. I have reduced my showers to 5 minutes and we just installed a rain barrel to water our plants. However, our kids love to turn on the faucet to brush their teeth or wash their hands and run the water forever. They are still young so it is hard to make them understand they are wasting water. Since it is so hot outside, they want to play in the baby pool or run through the sprinkler. We try to limit the sprinkler use or strategically place it to water new grass or plants, but sometimes we just let it run in the name of good fun.

2. COMPOSTING
I started a compost heap several months ago. Nothing fancy or thought out. I just dumped our kitchen scraps and yard scraps in a pile, stirred it every now and that was it. Well, our dog started getting up in the middle of the night and barking at something. It was driving us nuts. We finally realized some creature was eating the scraps from our compost heap. I stopped adding to the pile and our dog has stopped barking in the middle of the night. Well, I have been to lazy to build a proper compost bin and do more research on how to properly maintain it. There are just so many hours in the day, you know? This is something I hope to do someday. hopefully sooner than later.

3. RECYCLING
We recycle what we can and I recycle at work. However, I am still not quite sure what plastics are really supposed to be recycled at our local center. I have read conflicting information. So most of the time everything with a number gets thrown in. I really hope I am not screwing up the whole process.

4. LESS WASTE
Now I always taking packaging into account when purchasing items. Although, I am conscious of this it is still hard to avoid access packaging and waste. Eating take out is probably the worse, but I still do it. I have learned which restaurants are the best as far as this is concerned, but sometimes food and convenience win out.

5. ENERGY
We now unplug our toaster, coffee maker, hair dryer, and computer when not in use. We always turn off the lights when we leave a room. We never leave the TV on if someone is not sitting in front of it. However, the TV and DVD player in our room stays plugged in all the time eventhough we seldom use it. I have a Smart Power Strip that I need to install on our entertainment system, but have not gotten around to it.

6. PAPER
Like the Green & Natural Mom, I like toilet paper and probably use too much. We also use disposable diapers for my 2 year old son who will hopefully be potty trained soon. (wishful thinking I know) However, we do not use paper napkins, plates or paper towels. We use cloth napkins and rags for spills and clean ups.

7. CLEANING
I really wanted to start using all homemade cleaners. I do use a vinegar, water, soap blend to clean the countertops, but the bathrooms are a different story. I decided to splurge on a store bought"green" cleaner. It works well and does not smell toxic so that is a plus, but I am not 100% sure of its contents. I know it is better than what I was using so that's good. When I am in a hurry, I still use windex on the windows. Using the vinegar blend with newspaper works, but I hate all the grim on my hands as I clean. (I know lame, huh?) Cleaning is definitely a work in progress.

8. HEALTH & BEAUTY
This is probably the biggest challenge to me. I use Skin Deep as a guide when purchasing new products and have done pretty well with deoderant, sunscreen, soap, shampoo, and lotion. Make-up is a completely different ball game. I would like to say I go au naturale, but that is not going to happen. I still use the make up I have always used.

9. EATING OUT
We like to eat out on the weekends and I don't see that changing any time soon. I know it would be more environmentally friendly and healthier to eat at home using locally grown foods. My husband and I have a huge weakness for Pizza and Mexican food. I always think that this might change if I had time and energy to cook, but that is probably not true. I guess only time will tell.

10. PRESENTS
This is one I mull over way too much. I know there are many "green" options out there now for toys, but again convenience often wins out. It is hard to find any of these type of products locally and I like to see and hold the toys or products before I buy them. I know buying used at least for my own kids would be perfectly fine, but I enjoy buying them something new as much as they like getting the new toy. I try to reuse items we already have around the house for gift wrap. We always make our own cards with supplies we have on hand.

I could keep going, but she said 10 things so I will stop now. I can't really say what exactly made me want to "go green". I know it was not one thing or event, but I know I am committed to it. I am going to keep plugging away, making changes every day.

Going with the Flow

I finally settled on a low flow showerhead. I decided I had mulled it over long enough. Action was necessary. I kept going back and forth between the Delta Fluidics Adjustable Showerhead and the Roadrunner. I chose the Delta Fluidics mainly because of all of the reviews on Amazon.com. It also only cost $25.00. The water flow is 1.85 gpm or 2.5 gpm depending on the setting you chose. You don't save water with the 2.5 gpm option, but it is nice that you can switch between the two. I used the higher setting to rinse my hair. I would say that it took half the time to rinse my hair because the water pressure is really high. The lower setting still out performs our old showerhead. Of course, I think our old showerhead was original to our house built in 1973.

The Roadrunner does have some really cool features. You turn on the shower and once it reaches 95 degrees it slows to a trickle. You flip a switch and hop on in. The water flow is 1.59 gpm. I believe you can also flip the switch to slow the water to a trickle while lathering up or shaving. It retails for $39.95.

Since we are talking showers, I thought I would mention the challenge that The Crunchy Domestic Goddess is doing this summer. It is called the Five Minute Shower Challenge, which is pretty self explanatory. I am trying to decide if I can really do it. Pretty sad, huh? Anyone want to join me? Leave a comment here that you are in and I will sign up too. I just need a little incentive.

New Greener Mama Update

On April 7th I listed some goals that I would like to accomplish in April to make me a New Greener Mama. I thought I would give everyone an update on my progress. You know something to keep me honest.

1. Take shorter showers (this is probably going to be the hardest for me)- I am down to 10 minutes most of the time. I am not sure if I will be able to get to 5 minutes.

2. Install a low flow showerhead in our bathroom.- Put this on my list for next month. I have been looking, but have not found one I am completely sold on.

3. Start unplugging appliances such as coffee maker and toaster when not in use. (maybe install a power strip that can be turned off)- I now unplug these items when not in use.

4. Constistently turn off the power strip for the computer and accessories.- I actually bought a Smart Power Strip hoping to simplify this whole process. Well, it does not work right. I think it is because we have a laptop. I am going to try it on our entertainment system next.

5. Turn off the lights in the rooms not in use.- No extra lights on in our house any more.

6. Start recycling cardboard, cereal boxes, etc. (I am not sure why we don't do this already)- Done

7. Only wash my clothes if they are truly dirty. ( I have a tendency to wear something once and throw it in the laundry)- I have been trying to wear things more than once, but with toddlers it is difficult. I am more aware of what I throw into the laundry though.

8. Mix up some more homemade cleaners to have on hand for cleaning- I have been using homemade cleaners to clean. This is still a work in progress though.

9. Drink more water (means less bottles, cans, etc.)-I am doing better.

10. Plug the TV, DVD player, Wii, etc into a power strip and turn it off when not in use.- I have not done this yet. We have a VERY large entertainment center and I have procrastinated on this one. I want to try the Smart Strip on it so I will do it soon.

Overall, I feel pretty good about my progress. I still have some things to do, but we are getting there.

Does anyone else have any green goals they would like to share? Don't be afraid. Leave a comment. I would love to hear from you.

New Greener Mama

I have been so focused lately on getting healthy, tasty meals on the table, I have not put too much thought into what I need to do next to accomplish a greener lifestyle. I have started a compost pile. I have also been working on the foundation for my herb garden. We spent a good portion of the weekend pulling weeds from our yard. I am proud to say we have not used any chemicals on our yard this spring. So I have not been completely idle, but I know I still need to do more. Here's my to do list for April:

1. Take shorter showers (this is probably going to be the hardest for me)
2. Install a low flow showerhead in our bathroom.
3. Start unplugging appliances such as coffee maker and toaster when not in use. (maybe install a power strip that can be turned off)
4. Constistently turn off the power strip for the computer and accessories.
5. Turn off the lights in the rooms not in use.
6. Start recycling cardboard, cereal boxes, etc. (I am not sure why we don't do this already)
7. Only wash my clothes if they are truly dirty. ( I have a tendency to wear something once and throw it in the laundry)
8. Mix up some more homemade cleaners to have on hand for cleaning
9. Drink more water (means less bottles, cans, etc.)
10. Plug the TV, DVD player, Wii, etc into a power strip and turn it off when not in use.

I am sure I will think of something else to add to the list, but I am taking it one step at a time.